Car found, but search continues for driver in fatal hit-and-run

Published: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 8:05 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 9:08 p.m.

Zachary Paul Tyler was pedaling his bike along a route he'd traveled hundreds of times Thursday night when he was killed by a hit-and-run driver. While police Friday evening found the vehicle believed to be involved in the tragedy, according to New Hanover County dispatchers, they were still searching for the driver as of press time.

The 27-year-old Tyler spent his whole life in the Cape Fear region. He was born here, attended school here and, in 2004 when he was 18, he mourned the loss of his father here when Bobby Ray Tyler was killed in a motorcycle accident in Hamlet.

That her youngest child lost his life in an accident similar to his father's is hard for Tyler's mother to fathom.

"We've had our share of pain," Beverly Yopp Tyler said Friday.

Police are searching for the driver of the vehicle that struck Zachary Tyler as he rode home from his job at the King Neptune restaurant on Wrightsville Beach to the house he shared with his sister Ashley and her family.

A passerby driving a medical supply van found him lying on the side of the road in the 7000 block of Wrightsville Avenue about 10:15 p.m.

"I just came up on him. It looks like he's been here for a few minutes," the unidentified good Samaritan told 911 dispatchers. "He's still breathing, but barely. Y'all need to get here pretty quick."

"You didn't see the car that hit him?" the dispatcher said.

"No ma'am, it's long gone by now," the caller replied before hanging up and making an unsuccessful attempt at CPR. Tyler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Just before 6 p.m. Friday, police found the vehicle they think hit Tyler near Marsh Hawk Court and Duck Hawk Court, said Lisa Weldrick with New Hanover County Dispatch.

While many in the community are angered by the callousness shown by a perpetrator, Beverly Tyler showed grace when urging the culprit forward.

"I know they're probably scared and they need their family, but it's a new car. They're gonna get caught. Nobody is not going to not notice that damage on a new car," she said. "They would do better just to come on forward. We forgave the person who hit my husband. I think we will probably forgive them."

Described as "just a good kid," Zachary Tyler was still finding his place in the world, his mother said. He'd forgone the expense and hassle of an automobile for the simplicity of the bicycle. But she often worried about the youngest of her three children, whom she called her baby, riding on the same roads with motorists who she said drive "crazy."

"We talked about it, especially how things can happen, but that was his way," she said. "We discussed about him going back into driving a car, but this was just what he wanted. He liked what he was doing."

Some in the family are finding comfort in believing Zachary and his father are now reunited, Beverly Tyler said, but she's having a tough time making sense of any of it.

When it was all said and done Thursday night, and Tyler was gone, his mother went to see him. He reminded her so much of his father.

"He looked just like him," she said.

All that's left now are the memories of "a sweet guy like his dad."

"Right now, I'm just numb," she said with a sigh of resignation. "I remember this, though. I've felt this before."

Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600. Anonymous tips also may be submitted through Text-A-Tip. Send Tip708 and the information to 274637 (CRIMES).

<p>Zachary Paul Tyler was pedaling his bike along a route he'd traveled hundreds of times Thursday night when he was killed by a hit-and-run driver. While police Friday evening found the vehicle believed to be involved in the tragedy, according to New Hanover County dispatchers, they were still searching for the driver as of press time. </p><p>The 27-year-old Tyler spent his whole life in the Cape Fear region. He was born here, attended school here and, in 2004 when he was 18, he mourned the loss of his father here when Bobby Ray Tyler was killed in a motorcycle accident in Hamlet. </p><p>That her youngest child lost his life in an accident similar to his father's is hard for Tyler's mother to fathom. </p><p>"We've had our share of pain," Beverly Yopp Tyler said Friday. </p><p>Police are searching for the driver of the vehicle that struck Zachary Tyler as he rode home from his job at the King Neptune restaurant on Wrightsville Beach to the house he shared with his sister Ashley and her family. </p><p>A passerby driving a medical supply van found him lying on the side of the road in the 7000 block of Wrightsville Avenue about 10:15 p.m. </p><p>"I just came up on him. It looks like he's been here for a few minutes," the unidentified good Samaritan told 911 dispatchers. "He's still breathing, but barely. Y'all need to get here pretty quick." </p><p>"You didn't see the car that hit him?" the dispatcher said. </p><p>"No ma'am, it's long gone by now," the caller replied before hanging up and making an unsuccessful attempt at CPR. Tyler was pronounced dead at the scene. </p><p>Investigators were looking for a 2011-2013 white Toyota Corolla, Wilmington Police Department spokeswoman Lucy Crockett said. </p><p>Just before 6 p.m. Friday, police found the vehicle they think hit Tyler near Marsh Hawk Court and Duck Hawk Court, said Lisa Weldrick with New Hanover County Dispatch. </p><p>While many in the community are angered by the callousness shown by a perpetrator, Beverly Tyler showed grace when urging the culprit forward. </p><p>"I know they're probably scared and they need their family, but it's a new car. They're gonna get caught. Nobody is not going to not notice that damage on a new car," she said. "They would do better just to come on forward. We forgave the person who hit my husband. I think we will probably forgive them."</p><p>Described as "just a good kid," Zachary Tyler was still finding his place in the world, his mother said. He'd forgone the expense and hassle of an automobile for the simplicity of the bicycle. But she often worried about the youngest of her three children, whom she called her baby, riding on the same roads with motorists who she said drive "crazy."</p><p>"We talked about it, especially how things can happen, but that was his way," she said. "We discussed about him going back into driving a car, but this was just what he wanted. He liked what he was doing." </p><p>Some in the family are finding comfort in believing Zachary and his father are now reunited, Beverly Tyler said, but she's having a tough time making sense of any of it. </p><p>When it was all said and done Thursday night, and Tyler was gone, his mother went to see him. He reminded her so much of his father. </p><p>"He looked just like him," she said. </p><p>All that's left now are the memories of "a sweet guy like his dad."</p><p>"Right now, I'm just numb," she said with a sigh of resignation. "I remember this, though. I've felt this before."</p><p>Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600. Anonymous tips also may be submitted through Text-A-Tip. Send Tip708 and the information to 274637 (CRIMES). </p><p>F.T. Norton: 343-2070</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @FTNorton</p>